Marker for graves and the like



C. C. BECK. MARKER FOB GRAVES AND THE LIKE.

FILED APR.21`. 1921.

@Patented Feb. 5, i923.

lt l di l Si .earner CHARLES C. BECK, OF ST. LOUS, MISSOURI.

MARKER FOR GRAVES AND rI-IE LKE.

Application led April a?, 1,921. Serial No. 464,824.

l/ 1o all whom it may concern.' l

Be it known that I, @Hannes C. Brion, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful improvements in a Marker for Graves and the like, of which the following is a specification. l

rl'he primary object of this invention 1s to provide an improved marker, for graves and the like, that is simple and inexpensive in construction, and is adapted to be used in place of grave stones or tablets.

Another object of the invention is to provide a marker of an improved construction wherein the name, or description plate, is sealed within the holder and, therefore, protected against deterioration by the elements of the weather.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a marker of this improved character with anchoring means.

Other and further objects will appear in the specification and be specically pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, exemplifying the invention, and in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of this improved marker.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken approximately on the line ll-H of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on the line III- Hl of Fig. 2.

lVith reference to the accompanying drawings, this improved device is comprised of a relatively thin and iiat stake or support 1, which is of considerable length, and having a pointed ground engaging end 2, and secured to the upper end 3 of said stake by the rivets 4 is a back plate 5.

The plate 5, being secured to the upper end 3 of the stake 1, is for the purpose of' providing a supporting base for the secur- Ying of a retaining housing 6 thereto, sait housing being provided with a rear wall 7 against which the plate 5 is adapted to rest, the top and bottom walls 8 and 9 each being provided with a bent lip 10 and the end walls 11, each being provided with a lip 12, said lips 10 and 12 being for the purpose of supporting a transparent glass portion 13 with in the housing 6. y

In the assembly of this improved device, the stake 1, is passed 'through an opening 14 provided in the bottom wall. or portion 9 of the housing 6 in which the base or plate of said stake will abut against the rear wall 'l' of said housing 6, thereby providing a secure base for the stake relative to the housing G and as the thickness of the stake forms a projection forwardly of the plate 5, a layer of filling material 15 which is preferably resilient, such as corrugated cardboard, is laid against said plate on each side of the upper end 3 of the stake 1.

A. layer of material 16 is then placed against the filler 15 for the protection of the inscription surface 17 which may be in the form of a transfer or inlay secured or located on or against the inner surface of the transparent glass portion 13. A. sealing element, such as designated at 18, is then placed on the outer surface of the glass portion 13 around its edges. lllhen the lips 10 of the top and bottom walls 8 and 9 of the housing are bent against the outer surface of the glass portion 13 over the sealing element 18 and the lips 12 of the end walls 11 of the housing are also bent against said glass portion, said lips 10 and 12 when so bent or crimped against the glass portion 13 securely clamping the inlay parts within the housing 6 together, as well assealing the interior of the housing against the elements of the weather. From such a construction of a device of this impro-ved character, it is obvious that a simple and inexpensive marker is provided, and when it is adapted to use, the stake l is merely driven vertically into the ground.

For preventing an improved marker of this character from being ruthlessly displaced from its designating position an anchor, such as designated at 19, is secured to the stake 1 in a position above the point or driving end 2 of said stake. said anchor being' comprised of a plurality of approximately horizontally extending arms 20, each bearing projecting portions 21, said arms 20 being extended from a collar 22 which is engaged over the stake 1 and is secured in position to said sta-ke by a screw 23.

When the anchor 19 is used it is, of course, necessary to dig a hole in the ground large enough to accommodate the seating of the anchor and after the earth is thrown back into the hole, it is readily seen that if an attempt is made to withdraw the marker from its engaged position in the ground that the person pulling vertically on the stake would be pulling against his own weight and thereby retard any withdrawing upward movement ot the stake from the ground.

`What I clain'i and desircoto secure by S. Letters Patent is:

l. A marker or the like coinprised of' a nietallic housing having a transparent 'front plate sealed therein, there being an inscription card located against said plate, a supporting stake having one end extended Within said housing, and a vertically arranged base plate located in said housing to which the upper end of said stake is secured.

2. A marker for graves and the like coniprised of a metallic housing, a supporting stake having one end projecting Within said housing, a hase portion located in said housing to Which said stake is secured, and a transparent platehaving an inscription card located against the inner face of said plate, said plate forming the 'liront of said housing. 

